5 Sensational Tips for Skiing Trees Like a Pro

Revelstoke has the world’s best tree skiing. A mixture of tree species, the right amount of snowfall and the lightness of the snow create a powder playground like no other. The old-growth forests that Selkirk Tangiers have in their heli ski tenure are carefully tended so trees are nicely spaced (this is known as ‘glading’). Skiers therefore have exciting lines through the trees and plenty of space to turn. Seasoned heliskiers will argue that whizzing through trees and popping off tree stumps covered in snow pillows rivals high altitude glacier skiing any day. Check out Swedish freestyler Johann Persson ripping through the trees in Revelstoke here

At first tree skiing can be a bit daunting – the thought of skiing into a tree can put you off your stride! Here are our top 5 tips for techniques to ski trees like a pro:

1) Ski the gaps. Look at the white stuff and focus on where you want to ski, not what to avoid. It may sound like common sense, but too may people get preoccupied with looking at trees, which affects their flow of movement.

2) Plan your turns and look ahead. Look through the trees and plan 2 turns in advance. This will help you connect your turns and prevent a turn-stop pattern that zaps your energy.

3) Stay on your feet – by this we mean keep your balance centered above your feet and don’t lean too far back. You might be in deep snow, but your skis will float without you leaning backwards and throwing yourself off balance.

4) Keep your arms in front of you. Not only will this improve your balance and put you in a reactionary position, but also you can brush any small branches out of the way.

5) Take your pole straps off. In the unfortunate case that you take a tumble this will prevent you injuring your wrists and shoulders.

Have fun with it. One of Bighorn’s guests said they could never lose their friends when skiing the trees because of the noisy whoops of joy! We can arrange for you to enjoy a day’s coaching in the trees at Revelstoke Mountain Resort with a top instructor to get you ready to heliski the best tree terrain on Earth. Plus, on a down day when the heli can’t fly, world class tree skiing is always accessible from Bighorn.